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Cubs acquire OF Austin Jackson from Seattle

(Photo by Otto Greule Jr./Getty)

The Cubs today acquired outfielder Austin Jackson and a cash consideration from the Seattle Mariners for international signing bonus slot No. 4 and a player to be named. To make room for Jackson on the 40-man roster, infielder Mike Olt has been designated for assignment.

Jackson, 28, has batted .272 (114-for-419) with 18 doubles, three triples, eight home runs, 38 RBI, 46 runs scored and 15 stolen bases in 107 games this season with Seattle, and has hit .394 with five doubles, two home runs and 10 runs scored in his last 18 games. The right-handed hitter owns a .294 average against lefties and a .261 mark against right-handed pitchers. Jackson ranks sixth in the American League with 4.18 pitches per plate appearance.

Since making his major league debut with Detroit in 2010, Jackson has batted .273 with 163 doubles, 47 triples, 54 home runs and 286 RBI in 831 career games, all of which have come in center field. Among American League outfielders since 2010, Jackson ranks first in triples (47), second in runs scored (512), third in hits (908), seventh in doubles (163) and ninth in walks (293). He has appeared in at least 120 games in his first five seasons in the majors and is on pace to reach that mark again in 2015.

The 6-foot, 1-inch, 203-pound Jackson was acquired by the Mariners from Detroit at the trade deadline last season, and appeared in a career-high 154 games between the two clubs. He batted .256 with 30 doubles and 20 steals, marking his third career season with 30 or more doubles and his third campaign with at least 20 steals.

Jackson made his debut in 2010 with Detroit and led all American League rookies with 103 runs scored, 181 hits, 48 extra-base hits and 27 stolen bases. In 2012, he batted .300 in 137 games, setting career marks in RBI (66) and walks (67). Jackson appeared in 35 career postseason games with the Tigers, batting .233 with 10 extra-base hits across three playoff appearances from 2011-13.

A native of Denton, Texas, Jackson was originally selected by the Yankees in the eighth round of the 2005 June draft. He spent his first five seasons in the Yankees organization, appearing at all three outfield positions, before being traded to the Tigers on Dec. 9, 2009, along with Phil Coke and Ian Kennedy for Curtis Granderson.

Olt, 27, appeared in six games with Chicago before he landed on the disabled list with a hairline fracture of his right wrist, suffered April 11 in Colorado. Olt was acquired from Texas on July 22, 2013, in the five-player deal that sent pitcher Matt Garza to the Rangers, and last season hit .160 with 12 home runs in 89 games for the Cubs.

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